Sheet accumulator



Sept. .11 i 1923.

3. c. BATCHELLER SHEET ACGUMULATOR Filed Jan. 16. 1922 6 Shets-Sheet 1 Spt. I1, 1923. 1,467,300

B. c. BATCHELLER SHEET' ACCUMULATCR Filed Jan. 16.. 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet Z B. C. BATCHELLER SHEET ACCUMULATOR Sept. 11, 1923.

6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 16 1922 Sept. 1 1, 1923. 1,467,300

B. c. BATCHELLER SHEETfACCU MULATOR File'd Jan. 16 ,1922 e Sheets-Shet 4 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 'B. c. BATCHELLER SHEET ACCUMULATOR Filed Jan. 16

Sept. 1 1, 1923.

B. c. BATCI -IELLER SHEE ACCUMULATOR Filed Jan. 16. 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet e @M NKE Patented Sept. 11, 1923.

BIRNEY c. BATCHELLER, or BROOKLYN, new roan, ASSIGN'OR. T0 BEMIS 33o.- BAG 00., on ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

SHEET ACCUMULA'IOR.

Application filed January 16, 1922. Serial No. 529,697.

To all 207mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, BIRNEY C. BATQHEL- min, a citizen of the United States of sheet material transmitted to the holders may be folded and in the form of bags, although it is to be understood that other forms of sheet material could be fed to and held by the sheet-holders.

One object of the invention is to provide an accumulator equipped with asimple means for supporting and accurately counting the sheets passing from a feeding device. More specifically stated, an object is to produce an apparatus of this kind adapted to receive and count the bags passing from a bag-turning machine.

According to the present invention, the bags may be automatically counted and col.- lected in piles as they ass from a bag-turning machine. This eliminates the labor ordinarily involved in handling and counting the individual bags, and it insures absolute accuracy in the counting of the bags.

IVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novelcon struction, combination and arrangementof parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends changes. variations and modifications which come within the scope of the claims here unto appended.

Briefly stated, the mechanism herein shown to illustrate one form of the invention includes a bag-turning device whereby the bags are turned, and an accumulator having a series of bag-holders, or sheet-holders, adapted to receive the bags passing from the bag-turning device. The accumulator moves step by step to successively locate the bag-holders in the path of the bag-turning device; each ba -holder being in the form of a gripper a apted to receive margins of a collection'of bags. After apredetermined number of bags have been derENjT OFFICE.

livered to a bag-holder, all of the bag-hold ers are shifted to displace the collectionof bags'from the path of the bag-turning de- .vice while an empty bag-holder is. positioned to receive the next collection of bags. The I,

counting mechanism is controlled bythe transmission of motion from the bag-turn ing device and through a feeler engaged by the bags, so if the machine is idly actuatedwithout-feeding a bag to the bag-holder, there willfbe no effective. operationof the countingv mechanism. The motion-of the countingmechanism is thus'oontrolled by the means for feeding the bags to the bag-holders, but this "counting mechanism is not actuated unless a bag is delivered to abag-holder.

Fig. I is a sideelevation of a bag-turning machine p'rovidedwith an accumulator embodying the features of this invention.

' Fig. II is an enlarged vertical section illustrating a rack and'pinion through which motion is transmitted to an oscillatory bagholder.

chine.

parts broken away to show the means for adjusting the mechanism to receive bags of different widths. g

Fig.,V is a section taken approximately on the line V-V, in Fig.- VII, showing the bagholding grippers and the means. for opening the same.

Fig. VI-is a front elevation of the elements at the lower portion of Fig. V. i I Fig. VII is a fragmentary, side elevation, partly in section, showing three bagholding grippers and the means for open ing the same.

Fig. VIIIis an enlarged vertical section taken approximately on the line VIII Fig. III is 'a fro'nt elevationof the ma- VIII in Fig. III, and showing mechanism at the front of the machine.

Fig. IX is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation showing the counting mechanism.

Fi 'XI- is a top View, partly in section,

showing a pair of connecting rods through which motion is transmitted to pawl displacers in the counting mechanism.

Fig. XII is an enlarged section taken approximately on the line XIIXII, in Fig. XIII, and showing some of the elements of the counting mechanism.

Fig. XIII is aside elevation, partly in section, showing a portion of the counting mechanism.

Fig. XIV is a section taken approximately on the line XIVXIV in Fig. XIII.

l designates a table (Fig. I) upon which a pile of bags A is supported. An operator removes the bags, one at a time. from the table and places them on a bagholder having arms 2 and 3 adapted to lie in the mouth of the bag to be turned. Bag-turnin g members 4:, preferably in. the form of long, curved rods, or sticks, are movable in arcuate paths, as suggested by dotted lines in Fig. I. to turn the bags, stripping them from the bagholder and forcing their c osed ends between the gripping jaws 6 and T. as will be hereafter described. The bag-holder comprises a pair of oscillatory"supporting members? (Figs. I, III and IV) mounted on pivots :9 and movable from. the positionshown by full lines in Fig, I to the position shown by dotted lines. Each oscillatory supporting member 8 is provided with a non-rotary rod 10 to which a bag-holding arm 3 is secured. and an oscillatoryshaft 11 to which a bag holding arm. 2 is secured. The arm 3 is not movable about the axis of rod 10, but the shaft 11 can be turned to move the arm 2 toward said arm 3, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. I.

Each oscillatory supporting member 8 is provided with operating means including an oscillatory shaft 12 (Figs. I, II, and III) to which a crank arm 13 is secured. and a. connecting rod 14 connecting said cranlr arm to the member 8. Each shaft 12 is provided with a pinion 15 (Fig. II) meshing with a rack bar 16 (Figs. I, II and III), said rack bar being pivoted to a rotary crank 17 on a shaft 18. The rack bar and pinion are enclosed by a housing 19 pivotally mounted on shaft 12 and having a tubular portion whereby the rack bar 16 is guided and retained. in mesh with the pinion 15. Through the medium of the mechanism ust described, each oscillatory supporting member. 8 is shifted from thebag-receiving position shown by dotted lines in Fig. I to the bag-turning posi tion shown by full lines. When the oscillatory supporting members 8 move to the position indicated by dotted lines, the arms 2 move toward their companion arms 3, as will be hereafter described, so the bags can be readily slipped onto the arms 2 rl 3 while the companionarms are located adjacent to each other at points entirely beyond the paths of the bag-turning members t.

The means for moving the bag-holding arms 2 toward and away from the arms 3 includes two sets of mechanisms, one set for each pair of arn'i-s 2 and 3, as shown by Figs. I, III and VIII. Each of these sets comprises an operating arm 20 rigidly secured to shaft 11, a connecting rod 21 having its upper end pivoted to arm 20 and its lower end pivoted at 22 to lever 23, the latter being fulcrumed at 24- VIII) and connected to the lower end of a rod 25 having its upper end pivoted to an arm 26 which is pivoted at 27 (Fig. VIII) and provided with a roller 28 adapted to be engaged by a rotary cam 29 fixed to the shaft 18. Vi hen the parts occupy the positions shown by Fig. VIII, the roller is separated from the cam At this time a tension spring 30 acts upon the mechanism just described to yieldingly force arm 2 away from its companion bag-holding arm 3. In Fig. VIII, note that the tension spring 30 tends to impart an upward motion to the left end of lever 23. thereby pl a;-- ing the connecting rod 21 under tension. so

as to transmit power through the operating arm 20 to the bag-holding arm 2, thereby" yieldingly forcing arm 2 away from arm 3. These arms lie in the bag A, and the motion of arm 2 is limited by the bag itself, and not by the cam 29 and roller 28. This con".- pensates for variations in dimensions of the bags and insures the desired frictional engagement between the bag-holding arms 2 and 3 and the inner face of the bag. IVhile a bag is frict-ionally held in this manner, the bag-turning rods a. move downwardly to turn the bags, the latter being eventually stripped from the arms 2 and 3.

)Vhen the supporting member-s8 move from the position shown by full lines in Figs. I and III to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. I, each cam 29 III and VIII) engages roller 28 on arm 26. with the result of depressing vertical rod 25 and transn'iitting motion through lever 23, rod 21 and arm 20 to bag-holding arm 2, thereby moving said arm 2 toward the arm 3. As the cam 29 continues in motion, the arm 2 is held adjacent to the arm 3 so as to give the operator an opportunity to slip a bag over the adjacent arms, and the cam is eventually separated from roller 28, as suggested in Fig. VIII, to permit spring 30 to tlt' upon arm 2, as previously pointed out. The cam 29 forres arm 2 toward arm 3, and the spring 30 is utilized to yieldingly move arn'l 2 a-i'vay from arm 3.

The mechanism just described is supported partly by the stationary frame of the machine and partly by the oscillatory supporting members 8 which carry the arms 2 and 3. Each oscillatory member 8 is constantly in motion, and such motion should not materially affect the means for oscilating arm 2 about the axis of its shaft 11. Each arm Ill) 2 is therefore acted upon by a set of mechanism having a pivotal connection 22 (Fig. VIII) located near and in approximate alinement with the pivot 9 which supports the member 8. As a consequence, when a member 8 swings about the axis of its pivotal support, the rod 21 (Fig. VIII) moves about the axis of its pivotal connection 22, so the oscillatory motion of the member 8 does not materially displace the mechanism for transmitting motion to arm 2.

The curved bag-turning rods 4 have their upper ends secured in sockets 31 at the upper ends of rigid operating arms 32. Each socket 31 (Fig. VIII) is pivoted at 33 to the upper end of an arm 32, and the socket can be adjusted about the axis of the pivot to properly locate its rod 4. After a socket has been adjusted, it is secured by means of screws 34 passing through slots 35 in arm 32 (Fig. VIII) and screwed into the socket, said screws having heads adapted to frictionally engage the arm 32 so as to secure the socket.

Each arm 32 is rigidly secured to a short shaft 36 mounted in a bearing 37, as shown by Figs. IV and VIII. The axes of shafts 36 lie at an angle to each other, and each bag-turning rod 4 is preferably concentric with the axis of its shaft 36. However, since. the shafts 36 lie at an angle to each other, it will be apparent that the rods 4 do not travel in parallel paths. These curved rods are preferably made'of elastic metal,

and their bag-engaging lower ends advance in true arcuate lines diverging from the mouth of the bag to the sides of the bag. When the bagturni'ng rods occupy their ele vated positions (Figs. I and VIII), their lower ends lie adjacent to each other. As the rods move downwardly about the axes of shafts 36, they pass through the mouth of the bag A held by arms 2 and 3, and at the same time the bag-engaging-ends of these arms move away from each other, so as to engage the sides of the bag. The bag-em gaging ends are thus freely inserted into the bag and moved away from each other to frictionally engage the opposite sides of the bags. The elastic rods will then yield, for they cannot move away from each other after they have been forced into firm engagement with the sides of the bag, and the ends of said rods will finally engage the corners at the closed ends of the bag, so as to positively turn the corners. Thereupon, the bag is gradually stripped from the bag-holding arms 2 and 3, and its closed end is forced into a gripping device, as will be presently described.

The means for oscillating the bag-turning rods 4 comprises a pair of cranks 38 (Figs. I, III and VIII), and connecting rods 39 extending from said cranks to the arms 32. The shafts 18 are parallel with each other, and the crank arms 38 move about the axis of these shafts, while the long arms 32 move about the axes of shafts 36 which lie at an angle to each other. There fore. the ends of the connecting rods 39 are flexibly secured by means of ball and socket joints 40, shown in Figs. III and VIII.

After a bag has been turned, the bag-engaging ends of the rods 4 force the closed, end of the into a gripping device including j aws 6 and 7, and the bags are permitted to accumulate in the gripping device. As shown by Figs. I and IV, several of these gripping devices are arranged about the axis of a shaft 41. The means for sup,- porting the gripping devices includes a air of sleeves 42 (Figs. V and VII) slidably mounted on a non-circular portion of the shaft 40 and provided with flanges 43 and 44. These sleeves 42 can be adjusted longitudinally of the shaft 41, as will be hereafter described. Each sleeve 42 is provided with a series of the gripping jaws 6 and 7, and I will now describe the elements ssociated with one sleeve 42, it being under stood that the other sleeve is provided with the same elements. 45 designates circular frame members (Figs. IV, V and VII) in the form of angle bars concentric with shaft 42 and rigidly secured to a sleeve 43 by means of bars 6 to which the gripping jaws 6 are rigidly secured. Each bar 6 may 1 be riveted to a flange 43 on a sleeve 42, and also riveted to a circular frame member 45. As shown by Fig. V, each gripping jaw 6 may be riveted to a pair of the bars 6. Each gripping jaw 6 is thus rigidly secured to its supporting frame.

Each gripping jaw 7 is formed on the outer end of an arm 7 having its inner end pivoted to a sleeve 42, as shown by Figs. V and VII. 46 designates bell crank levers (Figs. V and VII) pivoted to the rigid bars 6, each of said levers having a long arm provided with a roller engaging one of the arms 7, and a short arm to which a tension spring 47 is secured. Each spring 47 cooperates with a bell crank lever 46 to force one of the gripping jaws 7 toward its companion gripping jaw 6. Immediately be fore a bag is forced into a gripping device, the jaw 7 is moved away from the jaw 6 to provide a space for the incoming bag, and as will be hereafter described, the jaw 7 is afterwards released and restored by its spring 47 and bell crank lever 46, so as to grip the bag. The bag-turning'rods 4 are then withdrawn from the bag while the latter is held by the grippers. After a num ber of bags have accumulated in one of the gripping devices, all of the gripping devices can be moved about the axis of the shaft 41 to displace the collection of bags from the paths of the bag-turning rods, and to locate anempty gripping'device at said paths.

Each gripping device includes two upper gripping jaws 6 (Fig. V) adapted to lie above the corners of the bags, and a pair of gripping jaws I located below said jaws 6. The means for opening the gripping device includes a pair of rotary shafts L8 (Figs. 1, V and VII) having their axes at opposite sides of the gripping device. Each shaft 418 is provided with a pair of arms l9 and pressure fingers 50 extending from said arms. Each pressure finger 50 moves in a circular path about the axis of the shaft l8 to which it is secured, and the collection of bags in the gripping; device lies in the paths of the pressure fingers. To open the gripping device, pressure flifjf s 5) press upon the top bag in the collection, with the result of forcing the collection of bags downwardly.v thereby moving the yieldable gripping jaws T downwardly relative to the rigid Dping jaws (3. During this operation the pressure fingers 5 cooperate with the yieldable gripping jaws to prevent displacement of the collect on of bags. A. bag can then be inserted into the gri 'ipiimg device. and after this has been done he pressure fingers 50 pass aw y from the bags to release the yieldable gripping jaws T. which are restored through the medium of springs #27. The shafts 4:8 are rotated in opposite directions, and the pressure hnsrers 50 more dowinvardly across the path of the bags passing to the gripping device. As shown by V. the rigid gripping jaws (3 are. provided with notches to receive the ends of the pressure fingers 50. Each linger 50 lies at an angle to the axis of its shaft 41-8. and each gripping jaw T has an inclined outeredfrc conforming; to that angle, as shown most (7 -arly by Fig. V. i

The means lor rotating: the shafts -18 includes bevel gears 51 shown by full lines in Figs. V and VII, and by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Each bevel gear 51 meshes with a smaller bevel gear 52 fixed to the lower end of an inclined shaft 53, the upper end of said shaft being provided with a gear 5i meshing with a gear 55 on one of the rotary shafts 1F Owing to the speed reduction at the gears 51 and 52 (Fig. H), each shaft 48 turns only one-half of a revolution during each operation of the machine, but each shaft 48 is provided with two pressure fingers 50 so the grippingdevice is opened in response to each operation of the machine.

The short shafts 18 transmit motion to various mechanisms that have already been described. and each of these shafts is provided with a. large driving gear 56 meshing with a pinion 57 (Fig. VIII) on the main power shaft 59.

I will now point out the manner in which the machine can be adjusted toreceive bags of different widths.- The means for sup porting the various moving parts includes a stationary, or non-adjustable, main supporting frame, and a pair of adjustable supportingframes movably mounted on the main frame and adjustable toward and away from each other. The adjustable frames lie at opposite sides of the machine, and each of these frames carries approximately one-half of the mechanism. The main supporting frame comprises side frame members 13 rigidly connected together by means of an upper connectingmember B (Figs. 1, 111. TV and VIII) and a lower connecting member 13 the latter being shown in Figs. 1 and Ill. It is to be understood that these memb rs 51 ll and l) are rigidly secured together to form a stationary, or non-adjustable, main frame. There are two adjustable supportingframes. each comprising an upper frame member C (Figs. 1, III, IV and VIII), an arm C extending rearwardly from said upper frame member. and aleg (1 extending downwardly and forwardly from said upper frame member. As shown by I and VIII, the arm (1 is rigidly secured to the upper frame member C by means of bolts 60, and the leg C is rigidly secured to said upper frame member by means of bolts 61. Each upper frame member C is slidably mounted on the stationary, or nonadjustable, frame member l3 (Figs. III and VIII). the latter being horizontal and provided with longitudinal shoulders to receive guide bars 62 (Figs. I and VIII) carried by and secured to the upper frame member (l It will now be understood that each adjustable frame, including frame members and is slidably supported by the horizontal stationary frame member B. and that the adjustable frames can be moved toward and away from each other. The means for moving the adjustable frames comprises a long, horizontal screw D (Figs. TV and VIII) rotatably mounted in bearings 63 on the stationary side frame incinhers B. and having a right-hand thread 64 (Fig. IV) and a. left-hand thread 65. The arm C forming part of one of the adjustable frames is provided with a nut (36 (Fig. IV), and the arm C of the other adjustable frame carries a nut 66 to receive the left-hand thread. The screw D has a noncircular end 67 (Fig. IV) to receive a. tool whereby the screw can be turned in opposite directions to move the adjustable frames toward and away from each other. The bag-holdingelements and bag-turning elements are arranged in pairs on the adjustable supports so as to lie at opposite sides of the bags where they cooperate with each other to support, turn and feed the bags. Each adjustable supporting frame carries one of the oscillatory arms 8 provided with a pair of bag-holding members 2 and 3,

ports the mechanism for transmitting mo tion to its fingers 50. More specifically stated, each adjustable frame is provided with a rotary shaft 18 (Figs. I and III) which. as heretofore pointed out, transmits motion to one of the bag-turning rods 4. v

Each shaft 18 is provided with a large gear 56 (Fig. VIII) meshing with a pinion 57 on the main operating shaft 59. This main shaft is not adjustable, but the pinion 57 is keyed to said shaft so the pinion can be adjusted longitudinally of the shaft to remain in mesh with the gear 56. I

I will now point out the means for moving the gripping devices toward and away from each other in response to corresponding movements of the adjustable frames. As shown by Figs. IV and V, each set of gripping devices is carried by a sleeve 42 slidably mounted on a non-circular portion of shaft 41, the latter being rotatablv mounted in stationary bearings 68. Figs. IV and V show that each sleeve 42 is provided with an annular recess adapted to receive the rear end of one of the arms C. /Vhen the adjustable frames are moved toward or away from each other, the arms C coop erate with sleeves 42 to impart a corresponding movement to the pairs of gripping elements. These elements serve as means for stripping the bags from the bagturning rods 4, and it will be apparent that they are adjusted with the other elements of the means for turning and feeding the bags.

The bags are delivered, one at a time, to

a grinin device 6-7 and after a redetermined number of bags have been delivered to a gripping device, the shaft 41 is turned to displace the active gripping device from the paths of the bag-turning members 4, thereby locating the next adjacent gripping device in a position to receive the bags from said rods. The bags are thus counted and carried away from the bag-turning mechanism. The collections of bags can be readily pulled from the gripping elements, and it will be understood that there are a predetermined number of bags in each collection.

The counting means comprises a ratchet wheel 69 mountedon a square portion of the shaft 41. as shown in Fig. XII, and provided with ten teeth, one for each gripping device, there being ten gripping: devices 6-7 uniformly spaced about the axis Each adjustable of shaft 41. This ratchet wheel 69 is inter- I mittently advanced one-tenth or a revolution through the medium of a driving pawl 70. The ratchet and pawl 6970 may be termed a driving ratchet, forthey drive the rotary holder for the gripping devices. They are controlled by counting elements including acounting ratchet wheel 71loosely mounted on the shaft .41 (Fig. XII) and provided with a countingpawl 7 2,.the latter being shown in Figs. I and IX.

The pawls 70 and 72fareloosely sup ported by a pivot rod 73 carried by a long lever 74 loosely mounted on the shaft 41, as shown inFig. XII. The means for oscillating the lever 74 (Fig. I) comprises a pinion 91 fixed to the main "powershaft 59 and meshing with a gear wheel 92 on a shaft 93, and carrying a crank-pin 94 to which one end of a connecting rod 95 is pivoted, the upper end of said connecting rod being pivoted to lever 74. Springs 75 (Figs. IX,-XII and XIII) tend to' engage the pawls with the ratchet wheels. During the operation of the machine, the lever 74 and its pawls 70 and 72 are constantly oscillated, and the counting ratchet wheel 71 moves step by step for the purpose of counting the'bags. However, the driving pawl 70 is normally prevented from actuating the ratchet wheel 69, and this pawl is under the control of certain devices actuated by the counting ratchet 71. v

One side of ratchet wheel 71 is provided with an annular flange 7 6 (Fig; XII) having a single'notch 77 (F igs. I, IX and in its peripheral face. 78 designates a retaining dog pivoted at 79 to a stationary bracket 80. One end of retaining dog 79 is enlarged to form a weight whereby the opposite end is yieldingly held in engagement with the notched fiange '76. This dog 78 normally prevents transmission of motion from the drivingpawl 70 to the driving ratchet 69. 'A rod 81 (Figs. IX, XIII and XIV), rigidly secured to driving pawl 7 0; is provided with a roller adapted to engage the retaining dog 78, as shown by Figs. XIII and 'XIV, to displace the driving pawl 70'from the driving ratchet 69. The pawl-carrying arm 74 oscillates in response to each operation of the -machine, and the counting pawl 72" advances 'the counting ratchet 71 and its notched flange 76 in response to each bag-turning operation. However. the driving pawl 70 is normally. prevented from actuating the ratchet 69. This is illustrated by Fig. XIII. which shows how the retaining dog 7 8 cooperates with the roller on rodfSl to displace the pawl 70 from the ratchet '69. When the retaining-dog 78 is located in its normal posi-' tion. (Fig. XIII), the driving pawl 7 0 will oscillate idly with the pawl-carrying 'le ver 7 The operation of the counting elements so far described will be briefly pointed out as follows:

WVhen twenty-five bags are fed into a gripping device, the rotatable gripping device holder is advanced one-tenth of a revolution to displace the twenty-five bags from the paths of the bag-turning rods 4 and to locate an empty gripping device at said paths. The countingratchet wheel 71 is provided with twenty-five teeth for the purpose of counting the bags, and this ratchet wheel carries the flange 76 having a single notch 77 adapted to receive the pointed end of retaining dog 78. During each revolution of the counting ratchet wheel 71., the notch 77 (Figs. IX and X) registers with the pointed end of retaining dog 78, and this pointed end enters the notch 77. as shown by Fig. X. )Vhen this occurs the pointed end of the retaining dog 78 moves toward the axis of the ratchet wheels and a corresponding movement is imparted to the driving pawl 70. This pawl is constantly acted upon by a spring 75 which tends to force it toward the driving ratchet 69, but the roller on rod 81 normally cooperates with retaining dog 78 to prevent operative engagement of pawl 7 0 and ratchet wheel 69. However, when the retaining dog 78 enters notch 77, the driving pawl is shifted by one of the springs toengage its ratchet 69, as shown in Fig. X. and immediately thereafter when the pawl-carrying lever 74 moves to the right from the position shown in Fig. X, the driving pawl 70 will be car-- ried to the right so as to advance the drivingratchet 69. This ratchet has ten teeth and it is advanced one-tenth of a revolution to shift the gripping devices, as previously pointed out.

It will be remembered that the driving ratchet 69 is mounted on a square portion of shaft 41 (Fig. XII), and this shaft supports the rotary magazine, or accumulator, provided with the series of gripping devices.

This rotary magazine, or accumulator, is normally looked through the medium of a locking dog 82, shown most clearly in I, X and XII. The driving ratchet (39 may be formed integral with a. relatively large rim 83 (Figs. I, IX and XII) having ten peripheral notches 84: adapted to receive the locking dog 82. The locking dog normally extends into one of these notches 8 L, as shown by Figs. I and X, to preventdisplacement of the rotary magazine in which the gripping elements are mounted.

I will now describe the means whereby the locking dog 82 is unlocked immediately before motion is imparted to the magazine. The locking dog 82 is rigidly secured to a pivot pin 85 adapted to turn in the bracket 80. 86 designates an arm rigidly secured to pivot pin 85 and connected to a spring 87 (Figs. IX and X) which yieldingly forces the locking dog toward the notched rim 83. The spring 87 normally retains the locking dog 82 in its operative position. 88 designates an unlocking arm preferably formed integral with the driving pawl 70 (Figs. X and XIII), one of the springs 75 being connected to unlocking arm 88 for the purpose of forcing pawl 70 toward its ratchet wheel. Unlocking arm 88 is provided with an abutment shoulder 89 (Figs. X and XIII) adapted to engage the upper end of an unlocking dOg 90, the latter being rigidly secured to the pivot pin Since the locking dog 82 is fixed to pin 85, it will be understood that if the unlocking dog 90 is moved to the right from the position shown by Figs. X and XIII, the locking dog 82 will be withdrawn from notch 84:, thereby unlocking the magazine. The retaining dog 78 normally occupies the position shown by Fig. XIII, to prevent pawl 70 from engaging ratchet G9, and this normally prevents the unlocking arm 88 from engaging the dog 90. When the retaining dog 78 enters the notch 77 (Fig. X) the driving pawl 70 moves toward its ratchet 69, and the unlocking arm 88 is then located in the position shown by Fig. X, wherein its abutment shoulder 89 lies in front of the unlocking dog 90. Thereafter when the pawl-carrying lever 74 moves to the right from the position shown in Fig. X, the unlocking arm 88 will engage unlocking dog 90 to withdraw the locking dog 82 from notch 84, thereby unlocking the magazine immediately before motion is transmitted from driving pawl 70 to driving ratchet 69. As the lever 74 continues in motion, the magazine moves with said lever, and the unlocking arm 88 eventually passes away from unlocking dog 90, thereby permitting spring 87 to force locking dog 82 into engagement with the periphery of notched rim 88. Upon the completion of the driving motion of the magazine, the spring 87 forces the locking dog 82 into one of the notches 84.

The machine will occasionally be idly operated without feeding a bag to the magazine, or accumulator, and in this event the counting mechanism should not be actuated to count a bag. The counting mechanism is therefore under the control of a feelcr 96 arranged in the path of the bags passing to the magazine, said feeler being shown in Figs. VIII and IX. Before describing the mechanism adjacent to the feeler, I will point out the power driven pawl-displacers adapted to displace the pawls 70 and 72 from their ratchets,and then describe the manner in which these pawl displacers are cont-rolled by the feeler.

97 designates a segmental pawl displacer (Figs. I, X and XII) loosely mounted on llll) the hub of ratchet wheel 71 and having an arcuate face concentric with shaft 41. This arcuate face is adapted to engage the counting pawl '72 so as to separate said pawl from the counting ratchet 71. The segmental pawl-displacer 97 normally occupies the position shown in the drawings, and the counting pawl 72 normally travels a certain distance along the arcuate face of the pawl displacer, but the pawl 72 ordinarily passes over the upper edge of said arcuate face to engage and operate the counting ratchet 71. Note that pawl displacer 97 can be shifted to the right and upwardly from the position shown in Fig. IX, and in this event it will prevent pawl 72 from engaging the ratchet 71. I will hereafter describe the mechanism whereby the pawl displacer97 is shifted when the machine is operated without feed ing a bag to the mechanism.

.98 designates a segmental pawl displacer (Figs. IX, X, XII and XIII) loosely mounted on the hub of ratchet wheel 71 and having an arcuate face concentric with said ratchet wheel. This arcuate face is adapted to engage the pointed end of'retaining dog 78 so as to prevent said retaining dog from entering the notch 77. The segmental pawl displacer 98 normally occupies the position shown in the drawings, but it can be shifted to the right (Fig. X) to prevent the retainingdog from entering the notch. Assuming that the notch 77 is positioned to receive the retaining dog 78, asshown in Fig. X, and also assuming that the machine is operated without feeding a bag to the magazine, the counting mechanism should not count a bag and the driving pawl should not be permitted to advance the magazine. In this event, the segmental pawl displacers 97 and 98 will be shifted to the right from the positions shown in the drawings, and the pawl displacer 98 will prevent the pointed end of retaining dog 78 from entering the notch 77. Both of the pawls 70 and 72 will then be idly operated to avoid inaccurate counting.

The means for shifting the pawl displaccrs 97 and 98 is shown mostclearly in I. VIII, IX and XI, and especially Fig. IX. 99 designates a rotary cam fixed to the shaft 93 which makes one revolution during each operation of the machine. A driving lever 100, pivoted at 101, is provided with a roller adapted to engage cam 99, and the spring 102 is connected to said lever for the purpose of retaining the roller in engagement with the cam. The upper end of this lever 100 is adapted to strike an abutment finger 103 pivoted to the lower end of a lever 104., the latter being fulcrumed at 105, as shown in Figs. VIII and IX. Referring to Figs. IX and XI,'106 isa connecting rod whereby the upper end of lever 101- is connected to the pawl displacer 97,

and 107 is a similar connecting rod connecting the upper end of lever 104 to pawl displacer 98. When the abutment finger 103 is retained in the position shown by dotted lines inFig. IX, it is struck by the upper end of cam-actuated lever-100, with the result of actuating lever 10% to shift both pawl displacers 97 and 98, thereby preventingtransmission of motion from the pawls to,

, provided with a pin 113 which extends into a slot'in the abutment finger 108.

The feeler 96 normally hangs in the path of the bags A, as shown by dotted lines in Figs VIII and IX but when a bag is passing from the bag-holding arms 2 and 8itoa gripping device 67, it engflgQS the feeler and elevates it to the position shown by full lines in Figs. VIII and IX. When the feeler rises to its elevated position, it

109, connecting rod 110, bell crank'111 and pin-113 to the abutmentfinger 103, thereby elevating the abutment finger-to a pointentirelv above the path of driving lever .100. hen 'the feeler 9G dropsto the position shown by dotted lines, it restores the abutment finger 103 to the position shown'f by dotted lines in F IX, thereby locating said abutment finger in the path of driving lever 100. From the foregoing it will be apparent that if the machine is operated without feeding abag to the magazine, the feeler 96 and abutment finger 103 will occupy the positions shown by dotted lines in Fig. IX, and the cam 99 will then actuate driving lever 100 and abutment finger 103, i

so as to shift the segmental pawl displacers 97 and 98, whereby the pawls of the counting mechanism are prevent-ed from engaging their ratchetwheels. As a consequence, if the machine isidly actuated, the counting mechanism will not be advanced, but when a bag is passing to the accumulator the abut ment finger'103'occupies the elevated positron shown by full lines in Fig. IX, and

the cam-actuated lever 100 is then idly actuated wit-hout transmitting motion to the pawl displacers 97 and 98. The bag isthen counted by the counting mechanism.

I claim: I

1'.An accumulator comprising a sheetholder wherein the sheets accumulate, a sheet-feeder whereby the sheets are successively delivered to said sheet-holder, counting means whereby said sheet-holder'is shifttransmits motion through pivot 108, crank 5 i ed in response to a predetermined number of feeding operations, said counting means including a driving pawl and ratchet, a counting pawl and ratchet controlling said driving pawl and ratchet, and a controller for said pawls and ratchets, said controller including a pair of segmental pawl displacers adapted to separate both pa-wls from their ratchets, operating means including a driven member movable to actuate both pawl displaccrs, a drive member adapted to actuate said driven member, and a teelcr whereby one ot said members is displaced relative to the other to control the transmission of motion from the drive member to the driven member, said teeler being in the path of the sheets engaged by said sheet feeder.

2. in ao'umulator comprising a sl1eetholder wherein the sheets accumulate, a slicet-teedei' whereby the sheets are succcs sively delivered to said sheet-hold counting me whereby said sheet-holder is shifted in i ponse to a p2 determined number of feeding operat oi said counting means including a driving pawl and ratchet adapted to move said t=ll (t-l10l(l(il', a counting pawl and ratchet movable in response to each sheet-feeding operation, a retaining dog whereliiy said driving pawl is normally displaced trom its ratchet, and a rotary controlling member carried by said counting ratchet and engaging said retaining dog to control said driving pawl.

zn accumulator comprising a sheetholder wherein the sheets accumulate, a sheet-teeder whereby the sheets are successively delivered to said sheet-holder, counting means whereby said sheet-holder is shitted in response to a predetermined number ot teeding operations, said counting means including a driving pawl and ratchet adapted to move said sheet-holder, a counting pawl and ratchet movable in response to each sheet-teeding operation, a retaining dog whereby said driving pawl is normally displaced from its ratchet, and a rotary controlling member carriedby said counting ratchet and having a peripheral notch adapted to receive said retaining dog.

l. An accumulator comprising a sheet holder wherein the sheets accumulate, a sheet-feeder whereby the sheets are snccessivcly delivered to said sheet-holder, counting means whereby said sheet-holder is shifted in response to a predetermined num ber of feeding operations, said counting means including a driving pawl and ratchet adapted to move said sheet-holder, a count ing pawl and ratchet movable in response to each sheet-"feeding operation, aretaining dog adapted to displace said driving pawl from its ratchet, said dog being movable in response to movements of said counting ratchet, a pawl displacer adapted to displace said counting pawl from its ratchet, a second pawl displacer cooperable with said retaining dog to displace said driving pawl from its ratchet, and a t'eeler controlling said pawl displacers, said t'eeler being in the path of the sheets engaged by said sheetfeeder.

in accumulator comprising a sheetholder wherein the sheets accumulate, a sheet-feeder whereby the sheets are successively delivered to said sheet-holder, counting means whereby said sheet-holder is shifted in response to a predetermined number of feeding operations, said counting means including a driving pawl and ratchet adapted to move said sheet-holder a counting pawl and ratchet movable in response to each shect tceling operation, a retaining dog adapted to displace said driving pawl from its ratchet. said dog being movable in respouse to movements of said counting ratchet, a iiivotally supported seg ental pawl-displacer adapted to displace said counting pawl from its ratchet, a second pivotally supported segmental pawl-displacer cooperable with said retaining dog to displace said driving pawl from its ratchet, and a 'tecler controlling said pawl-displacers, said "Peeler being in the path of the sheets on caged by said sheet feeder.

8.. in a sheet-counting apparatus, an accumulatmcomprising a series of sheet-holders ea h ot which is adapted to receive a collection o'l sheets a teeder whereby the sheets are deli ered to said sheet-holders, said sheet-holders being movable step by step to successively receive the collections of sheets transmitted from said feeder, locking means whereby said sheet-holders are locked when they are positioned to receive the heets, counting means whereby said sheet holders are shitted in response to a pedetermined number of sheet-feeding operations, and an unlocking device comprising a pivotally supported unlocking dog carried. by a part of said counting means to unlock the sheet holders.

7. In a sheet-counting apparatus. an accumulator comprising a rotary carrier, a series of sheet-holders carried by said rotary carrier, each of said sheet-holders being adapted to receive a collection. of the sheets, a feeder whereby the sheets are delivered to said sheet holders, said rotary carrier being movable step by step to suecessively locate the sheet holders at said teeder, locking means whereby said rotary carrier is locked when a sheet holder is positioned to receive the sheets, counting means whereby said rotary carrier is shifted one step in response to a predetermined number of sheet feeding operations, and an unlocking device comprising a pivotally supported unlocking dogcarried by part of said counting means to unlock said r0- tary carrier.

8. In a sheet-counting apparatus, an accumulator comprising a series of sheetholders each of which is adapted to receive a collection of sheets, a feeder whereby the sheets are delivered to said sheet-holders, said sheet-holders being movable step by step to successively receive the collections of sheets transmitted from said feeder, locking means whereby said sheet-holders are locked when they are positioned to receive the sheets, counting means whereby said sheetholders are shifted in response to a predetermined number of sheet-feeding operations, said counting means including an oscillatory pawl carrier, and an unlocking device comprising an unlocking member pivoted to said pawl carrier to unlock said locking means. I j a a v 9. In a sheet-counting apparatus, anaccumulator comprising a series of sheetholders each of which is adapted to receive a collection of sheets, a feeder whereby the sheets are delivered to said sheet-holders, said sheet-holders being movable step by step to successively receive the collections of sheets transmitted from said feeder,'locking means whereby said sheet-holders are locked when they are positioned to, receive the sheets, said locking means including a pivotally supported locking dog, counting means includingan oscillatory pawl carrier whereby said sheet-holders are shifted in response to a predetermined number of sheetfeeding operations, and an unlocking dog pivoted to said pawl carrier to unlock said locking dog. I

10. In a sheet-counting apparatus, an accumulator comprising a rotary carrier, a series of sheet-holders carried by said rotary carrier, each of said sheet-holders being adapted to receive a collection of the sheets, a feeder whereby the sheets are delivered to said sheet holders, said rotary carrier being movable step by step to successively locate the sheet holders at said. feeder, locking means whereby said rotary carrier is locked when a sheet holder is positioned to receive the sheets, counting means including an:

oscillatory carrier, a driving pawl carried by said pawl carrier to shift said rotary carrier in response to a predetermined number of sheet-feeding opera ions, and an unlocking dog carried by said driving pawl to unlock said lockingmeans.

11. In a sheetconnting apparatus, an accumulator comprising a rotary carrier, a series of sheet-holders carried by said rotary carrier. each of said sheet-holders being adapted to receive a collection of the sheets, a feeder whereby the sheets are delivered to said sheet holders, said rotary carrier being movable step by step. to successively locate the sheet holders at said feeder, locking means whereby said rotary carrier is locked when a sheet-holder is positioned to receive the sheets, said locking means includlng a pivotally supported'locking dog, counting means including an oscillatory pawl-where by said rotary carrier is shifted one step in response to. a predetermined number of sheet-feeding operations, means wherebysaid pawl is normally retained in an inoperative position, and an unlocking dog carried by and extending from said pawl to engage said locking dog.

12. An accumulator comprising a pair of rotary supports each provided with asheet gripper, a sheet-feeder whereby sheets are fed into the sheet-grippers, a rotary shaft to which said supports are secured, one of said supports being adjustable longitudinally of said shaft to adjust one of said-grip of sheet-grippers, a sheet-feeder whereby sheets'are fed into said grippers, each'gripper on one of said supports being adapted to cooperate with a gripper on the other supa port to hold collection'of sheets, a rotary shaft to which said supports are secured, each of said supports being adjustable longitudinally of said shaft to adjust the grip-' pers on one support toward and away from the grippers on the other support, and counting means whereby said shaft is turned in response to a predetermined number of, operations of said sheet-feeder.

1 f. An accumulator comprising a sheetholder provided with a sheet-gripper adapted to receive margins of the sheets, said gripper including a support, a rigid gripping member fixed to said support, a yield able gripping member having onejof its ends pivoted to said support, said yieldable gripping member being movable on the airis of its pivot to open and'clos'e the gripper,

a lever pivoted to said support, a spring whereby said lever is forced into engagement with said yieldable gripping member, and means whereby margins of the sheets are forced between said. gripping members.

15. An accumulator comprising a sheetholder provided with a sheet gripper adapted to receive margins" of the sheets, "said gripper including a support, a rigid gripping member fixed to said support, a yieldable gripping arm pivoted at one end to said support and having a-igripping'jaw at its opposite end, a bell-crank 'lever engag' ing said gripping arm nearits'pivoted .end and a spring cooperating with said bellcrank lever'to force said gripping'jawl to; a

ward said rigid gripping member, an openingv device whereby said yieldable gripping arm is turned on its pivot to open the gripper, and means for feeding the sheets into said gripper,

16. An accumulator comprising-a sheetholder provided with a sheet-gripper, a rotary opening device whereby said sheet-gripper is opened to receive margins of the sheets, and a sheet-feeder cooperating with said rotary opening device to deliver sheets to said sheet-holder. I

17 An accumulator comprising a sheetholder provided with a sheet-gripper adapted to hold a collection of sheets, arotary opening device whereby said sheet-gripper is opened to receive margins of the sheets, a sheet-feeder cooperating with said rotary opening device to deliver sheets to said sheet-holder, and counting means whereby said sheet-holder is shifted in response to a predetermined number of sheet-feeding operations.

18. An accumulator comprising a sheetholder provided with a sheet-gripper adapted to hold a collection of sheets, a rotary opening device whereby said sheet gripper is opened to receive margins of the sheets, said rotary opening device. including a rotary pressure member whereby the sheets are held when the gripper is open, a sheetfeeder cooperating with said rotary opening device to deliver sheets to said sheet-holder, and means whereby said, sheet-holder is shifted in response to a predetermined number of sheet-feeding operations.

19. An accumulator comprising a sheet holder provided with a sheetgripper adapted to hold a collection of sheets, said sheet gripper including a yieldable gripping jaw, a rotary opening device whereby said sheetgripper is opened to receive margins of the sheets, said opening device including a rotary pressure finger which cooperates with said yieldable jaw to hold the sheets when the gripperis open. and a sheet-feeder cooperating with said opening device to deliver sheets to said sheetholder.

' 20. An accumulator comprising a sheetholder provided with a sheet-gripper adapted to receive margins of a collection of sheets, an opening device whereby said sheet-gripper is opened to receive said margins, a sheetfeeder cooperating with said opening device to deliver sheets to said sheet-holder. said sheet-feeder including a sheet-misher movable over the margins of the sheets in said sheet-gripper. and said opening device in cluding, a rotary pressure member whereby said margins of the sheets are displaced and held below the path: of said sheetpusher.

21. An accumulator comprising a sheetholder provided with a sheet-gripper adapted to hold a collection of sheets, an opening device whereby said sheet gripper is opened to receive margins of the sheets, said open ing device including a rotary pressure member adapted to engage the top sheet of the collection, a sheet-feeder movable over said pressure member to deliver the sheets to said holder, the axis of rotation of said pressure member being at one side of said sheet gripper, and means for rotating said pressure member.

22. An accumulator comprising a sheet holder provided with a sheet-gripper adapted to hold a collection of sheets, a rotary opening device whereby said sheet-gripper is opened to receive margins of the sheets, said opening device including a pair of rotary arms having pressure fingers adapted to engage the top sheet of the collection, and a sheet-feeder movable across the paths of said pressure fingers to deliver the sheets to said holder.

23. An accumulator comprising a sheetholder provided with a sheet-gripper adapted to hold margins of a collection of sheets, an opening device comprising a pair, of rotary arms having pressure fingers adapted to press upon the top sheet to open the gripper, a sheet feeder whereby margins of the sheets are fed over said pressure fingers and into said gripper, and operating means whereby said rotary arms are turned in 0pposite directions to simultaneously engage said pressure fingers with the top sheet.

24. An accumulator comprising a sheetholder provided with a sheet-gripper adapted to hold margins of a collection of sheets, a rotary opening device comprising a pair of rotary arms having their axes at opposite sides of the gripper and provided with pressure fingers adapted to press upon the top sheet to open the gripper, a sheet feeder whereby margins of the sheets are fed across the paths of said pressure fingers and into said gripper, and operating means whereby said rotary arms and their pressure fingers are turned about said axes to open the grip- P -v I 25. An accumulator comprising a sheetholder provided with a sheet gripper adapted to hold margins of a collection of sheets,

arotary opening device comprising a pair of rotary arms having their axes at opposite sides of the gripper and provided with pressure fingers adapted to press upon the top sheet to open the gripper. a sheet feeder whereby n'largins of the sheets are fed across the paths of said pressure fingers and into said gripper, said gripper including yieldable lower gripping jaws in the paths of said pressure fingers, and operating means whereby said rotary arms are turned in op posite directions to displace said yieldable lower gripping jaws.

26. An accumulator comprising a sheetholder provided with a sheet-gripper adapted to hold margins of a collection of sheets, said sheet-gripper including a pair of upper jaws, a pair of lower jaws and springs tending to force said lower jaws toward said upper jaws, a rotary opening device comprising a pair of rotary shafts having a; their axes at opposite sides of said sheet gripper, arms rigidly secured to said rotary shafts, pressure fingers extending from said arms and adapted to press upon the top sheet to move said lower jaws away from the upper jaws, means whereby said shafts are 10 turned in opposite directions to move said lower jaws, and a sheet feeder whereby margins of the sheets are fed across the paths of said pressure fingers.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing 15 I hereunto aflix my signature.

BIRNEY o. BATCHELLER. 

